


An almost normal night

by Lost_in_thoughts



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 19:28:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13196961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lost_in_thoughts/pseuds/Lost_in_thoughts
Summary: When Vesemir works in the library, something strange catches his attention.





	An almost normal night

Night had fallen on Kaer Morhen, the old witcher fortress towering high over the Blue montains.

While the young witcher aspirants had already been sent to their dorms – with or without the mutations from the Trial of Grasses, training days at the Kaer were demanding – some of the older boys were allowed to join the experienced witchers in the main hall where they spent their evenings telling stories about their latest contracts or playing Gwent.

Vesemir, fencing instructor and well-respected veteran of the witcher trade, sat in the library and studied the latest records his colleagues had written. Every once in a while he shook his head, irritated by the laxity of his comrades. How was anybody in the Kaer supposed to keep the official bestiary of the Wolf School current when those reports were merely scrawly keywords?

After he had finished a ridiculously fragmentary report about a Griffin hunt near Brunwich he leant back and closed his eyes. He should call it a day and join his brothers in the main hall. After having another look at the paperwork in front of him he nodded. The reports wouldn‘t run away over night.

As he was about to close the heavy library door he heard a muffled sound. At first he thought nothing of it. Probably just another altercation in one of the dorms. Remarkable that some boys found enough excess energy to fight each other after a tough and busy day at the keep. He made a mental note to intensify his lessons as he heard another thump. Louder than the first one. Following the sound reverberation he crossed the library and opened one of the windows.

An attack on the Kaer was the last thing he needed after this day, he thought while he carefully watched the courtyard.

_THUMP._

Vesemir bobbed his head to the right. There was a person standing in front of the closed armory. A _small_ person. The old witcher sighed, closed the window and headed for the courtyard. Fortunately he wasn‘t about to face an attack on the fortress, but the following encounter would be nerve-racking nevertheless.

As Vesemir reached the armory, the nocturnal troublemaker continued his work. His right hand raised, fingers spread apart, the middle finger slightly bent, he shot a wave of energy against the walls of the building.

Vesemir cleared his throat. "What do you think you‘re doing out here?“

The other person turned around and for a moment Vesemir could see fear in the eyes of the scrawny boy whose hair was as unruly as his general behaviour. But within seconds his gaze turned defiant. "You‘re a lousy witcher. Old as stone and not knowing Aard.“

"A lousy witcher would underestimate the potential threats around him,“ the fencing instructor said, crossing his arms in front of him. "Just as you did.“

The boy snorted. "You‘re not a threat, old man.“

"Wait until your lessons tomorrow.“

Vesemir got another snort for an answer. "You can beat me all you want, I don‘t care.“

"I don‘t intend to beat you. But three additional rounds on the Trail may calm your temper.“

The witcher-to-be crossed his arms in front of him. "And if you make me do twenty rounds on the fucking Killer. I don‘t care. I‘ll still exercise. Finally I learned something useful in that dump here, you won‘t take that away from me!“

Vesemir eyed him. "You will have plenty of time to exercise during your rounds on the Trail.“ He nodded slightly. "Your anger is a good base for casting a powerful Aard. For further improvement, bend your middle finger a little more.“

The boy clenched his fists and darted his mentor a fuming look. "You-“

"Enough already! Off to bed with you,“ Vesemir interrupted, his voice permitting no protests.

The boy narrowed his eyes, snorted and turned around. "Tomorrow night I‘ll come back and exercise again,“ he muttered under his breath as he kicked the dirt in front of him and headed to the dorm entrance.

Vesemir shook his head. "Another thing to remember, Lambert. Only a lousy witcher will give away his schemes.“

Lambert paused for the blink of an eye before he entered the castle, his head held high but his steps a little too fast to appear confident.

Vesemir sighed heavily before he inspected the armory. The boy hadn‘t caused any damage, the Kaer‘s walls were resilient, but he couldn‘t deny him a certain talent in casting signs. As the old witcher went to the main entrance, one of his comrades approached him.

"Getting soft in your old age?“ the younger witcher asked, his tone friendly.

"What do you mean, Adon?“

Adon, himself an experienced witcher with a fondness for alchemy and exquisite alcoholic beverages, gave him a meaningful look. "As I was his age I would have gotten a good thrashing for far less.“

Vesemir gave him a bleak smile. "Sometimes you have to indulge those children who seem the most difficult.“

Adon raised an eyebrow. "Not only soft but philosophical, too.“ He shook his head. "Lambert‘s temper will get him killed in no time.“

"Or he‘ll become a very good witcher, even if just out of spite. Nobody knows what lies ahead.“

Adon grinned. "Well, to change the matter, I do at least know that I have a bottle of Pomino left in my room,“ he said, "and I wanted to ask my former mentor if he would mind to share it with me.“

Vesemir patted his brother on the back. "It would be a pleasure, especially after a day like that.“

"Thought so.“ Adon nodded satisfied.


End file.
